Mountain Biking
La Porte County is one of Northern Indiana’s most underrated mountain-biking destinations, offering a mix of flowy loops, rugged wooded singletrack, ridge riding, and dedicated skill-building features. Whether you’re new to the sport or an experienced rider looking for advanced technical terrain, the area delivers a surprising variety of trails. Most rides are tucked inside quiet, forested parks, making them perfect for nature-filled days on the bike. Below you’ll find a few of the top local MTB destinations, starting with a full deep-dive into Soldiers Memorial Park - La Porte’s mountain biking hub.
Soldiers Memorial Park
Soldiers Memorial Park is the centerpiece of mountain biking in La Porte, offering a surprisingly dense trail network packed into a compact, wooded landscape. Riders will find flowy turns, ridge sections, technical features, bridges, berms, and optional skill lines woven through nearly 9.5 miles of single-track.
The system is professionally maintained by the Northern Indiana Mountain Bike Association (NIMBA) and is known for its mix of approachable intermediate loops and challenging black-diamond features. Trails are clearly clearly marked and interconnected so riders can customize any length or difficulty level. Because of the tight turns, rolling terrain, and variety of surfaces, this park appeals to riders ranging from confident beginners to experienced technical MTB riders.
Main Loops
The Noodle
Length: ~ 4.2 miles
Difficulty: Easy
Features: Berm, Bridge
The Noodle is a flow-style loop, known for its long, continuous sequence of winding singletrack. It offers a smooth, rhythmic ride with tight corners, rolling terrain, and steady momentum that makes it popular for both intermediate riders and confident beginners.
Wild West
Length: ~ 0.9 miles
Difficulty: Intermediate
Features: Berm, Bridge, Drop, Jump,
Gap Jump, Rock Garden, Skinny, Wallride
Wild West offers a slightly rougher, more natural feel compared to the smoother flow loops in the park. The trail weaves through dense woods with tight lines, rooty sections, and off-camber turns.
Woodland Loops
Length: ~ 2.4 miles
Difficulty: Easy → Intermediate
Features: Rock Garden
The Woodland Loops are made up of short, interconnected circuits ideal for beginners, families, or riders warming up. They have gentler grades, smoother surfaces, and multiple exit points back to the main trail corridor.
Cambodia
Length: ~ 0.7 miles
Difficulty: Easy
Features: Berm, Rock garden
Cambodia is one of the tighter, more condensed intermediate loops in Soldiers Memorial Park. The trail winds through dense forest corridors, often requiring precision when navigating close tree gates and quick corners. Short, punchy climbs and technical turns define the overall character.
Black Diamond Trails
Blessed Hell Ride
Length: 1660 ft
Difficulty: Hard
Features: Berm, Bridge, Drop, Jump, Skinny, Wallride
Blessed Hell Ride is a short but intense segment designed for expert riders. It includes steep grade changes and advanced, built trail features, making it one of the most challenging lines in the park.
Billy Goat
Length: 650
Difficulty: Hard
Billy Goat is a short but intense segment with steep, punchy climbs and sharp technical descents. It demands power, traction control and the ability to react quickly to rapid elevation changes.
Sophie’s Revenge
Length: 614
Difficulty: Hard
Features: Berm, Bridge
Sophie’s Revenge combines tight technical flow with rapid turns and short bursts of elevation change. It’s a stamina-builder that demands confident braking and quick directional handling.
The Ridge
Length: 525 ft
Difficulty: Hard
The Ridge is known for narrow bench-cut riding along elevated terrain with mild exposure on either side. Riders must maintain balance and precise line control while navigating rocky or rooty features.
Nearby MTB Trails
Bluhm County Park
Length: ~ 4-5 miles
Difficulty: Easy - Intermediate
Bluhm County Park has a small but enjoyable MTB network of singletrack, made up of interconnected segments: Lincoln Trail, Bluhm Park Trail, Bluhm Loops, and the Gust Trail system. They have gentle grades and winding lines through wooded and prairie terrain, making the park a good choice for newer riders or anyone looking for a low-intensity ride. The loops link together smoothly, allowing riders to build mileage or repeat sections for a longer session.
Red Mill County Park
Length: ~ 3 miles
Difficulty: Easy - Intermediate
Red Mill County Park offers a compact but enjoyable ride. The trails run through wooded sections, gentle hills and wetland edges, creating a mix of smooth beginner-friendly terrain and slightly more winding, moderate sections. The loops flow well together, making it a great choice for newer riders, families or anyone looking for a quick session. Riders can easily repeat laps or mix in the more moderate segments to build a longer outing.
Bendix Woods County Park
Length: ~ 5-6 miles
Difficulty: Intermediate
Bendix Woods offers one of the more established MTB systems in the region, with singletrack winding through mature forest, fields and small rolling hills. The trail system blends an intermediate opening section with a longer beginner-friendly loop, giving riders a mix of tighter turns, light climbs, and natural features like roots and log piles. Because the trail is laid out as a continuous loop, riders can easily settle into a steady rhythm or repeat segments to increase mileage.
Trail Rules, Safety & Etiquette
General Rules & Safety
Ride in the same direction as traffic and follow standard bike rules.
No statewide helmet requirement, but helmets are strongly recommended.
Stay on marked trails and follow posted one-way designations.
Walk any features you’re not comfortable riding.
Ride within your skill level.
Etiquette
Yield to hikers and slower trail users on multi-use trails
Announce when passing.
Avoid riding during or immediately after rain to protect trail surfaces.
Respect local wildlife and carry out all trash.
Keep dogs leashed if they are present on multi-use paths.